HC adjourns bail hearing of ex-WBBSE adviser Sinha
Times of India | 18 December 2024
Kolkata: Calcutta High Court on Tuesday adjourned the bail hearing of Santi Prasad Sinha, former adviser to the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE) and co-accused in a CID case regarding the irregular appointment of a teacher. The case will be heard two weeks after the court opens after the Christmas vacation.
The case pertains to the appointment of Jasmine Khatun, wife of former regional chairperson of the School Service Commission (SSC) Sheikh Sirajuddin, also a co-accused. The public prosecutor argued that Sinha colluded with Sirajuddin and informed the HC that the probe against the former was completed.
Khatun, who participated in the 12th Regional Level Selection Test, was recommended for appointment on Nov 5, 2019. It was alleged that she was appointed when her husband was chairperson of the regional commission.
However, the case hit a roadblock with the state's sanctioning authority yet to give the go-ahead regarding the prosecution of Sinha, a public servant. Sinha has been in custody for over nine months. Justice Joymalya Bagchi said the sanctioning authority dragging its feet raised question over Sinha's influence in "subverting" public authorities from performing their judicial duties. "Have you ever seen prosecution suffering at the hands of the sanctioning authority?" Justice Bagchi said.